Mr and Mrs Vaughn
by Descena
Summary: It was the love of Sydney and Vaughn that brought them a daugher, Isabelle, and it was her love that kept her parents together. But when Isabelle is kidnapped by a new powerful threat, Sydney and Vaughn's relationship falls apart quickly
1. Chapter 1

**This is my second Alias Fan Fic and the smaller, but larger played plotline, was a request for me to write. So, I just filled in the blanks...**

Title: Mr and Mrs. Vaughn  
**Why is it Romance:** Deals with the lost love and marriage of Sydney and Michael Vaughn and what it takes for them to find their love again  
**Genre:** Drama/Romance/Action  
**Disclaimer:** I own nothing of Alias, besides this story and the Last Stop Fan Fic...I wished I owned Alias though...I'd be rich now...   
**Warning:** The story goes back and forth from 1st person to 3rd person. The 1st person view is that of Dr. Barnett...the CIA pyschologist and it occurs only with Sydney and Vaughn and is in her office. The rest of the story is in 3rd person view  
**Summary:** It was the love of Sydney and Vaughn that brought them a daugher, Isabelle, and it was her love that kept her parents together. But when Isabelle is kidnapped by a new powerful threat, Sydney and Vaughn's relationship falls apart quickly and each blame each other and themselves. Having lost hope, lost love, lost their daughter and each other...it seems somethings, weren't meant to last forever.

I twirled my pen in my hand and silently sighed. Boy this job sucks sometimes, I thought. As the Psychologist of the CIA, it was my job to ensure the mental and emotional stability of the agents. Whether it was about personal issues, marriage problems or field-related, my finding and helping to fix the problem was what my job was. But sometimes...it sucked. Even more so, when the agents are ordered to see me. Like these agents for example. Two oft he most reliable and skilled agents, I have ever met, and personally come to life. Agents Bristow and Vaughn...one of a kind, a match made in heaven. Or so everyone thought. It seemed to me that after having a child, and life in the CIA in general, it was putting a lot of pressure on their marriage. Them not talking to me, or each other was a good effect of that. They were growing apart slowly. They knew it, and others saw it. Little things became big things and the big things were...well, let's just say, not pretty. "Agent Vaughn, Agent Bristow," I said. "Is there nothing you would like to say today?" Vaughn looked at Sydney and her at him, but neither said a word. "Okay," I said. I needed to break the ice somehow. "How's Isabelle?"

Sydney lit up at the mention of her daughter. "Wonderful. She just turned two last week."

"Oh," I exclaimed, "That's great."

"She's getting big," Vaughn added. "She already knows what she wants to be after school."

"And what's that?"

"An ice skater," Sydney answered. "She loves the ice rink."

I nodded and smiled at them. "So, have you two been this week?"

"...Fine," Sydney said.

"No fights?" I pressed

"Not...big ones," Vaughn admitted. But I had caught the hesitation. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Vaughn began, "Sydney was on an OP this week..."

"Paris," Sydney interjected.

"Right," Vaughn continued. "And I took care of everything while she was away. Isabelle, the house, the job. I picked up the slack..."

"Because I was working..."

"And when she finally gets home...I get nothing. Just a kiss and a hi, No 'thank you' no 'great job'. Nadda."

"I was tired."

"She ignores what part I play in her life."

Sydney looks at Vaughn. "You expect me to thank you every time you remember to put the toilet seat down?"

"No. I expect you to notice and say thank you once in awhile. You know, in that song, she thanked everyone and everything. In four minutes. I haven't gotten that in two years!"

"What song?"

"Thank you...that song?"

"Great...now he's comparing me to a song."

"It's a metaphor."

"No it's not."

I cleared my throat. "OK. How about we forget the song, and move on?"

But they ignored me and Vaughn went on. "She thanked...everyone."

"No she didn't," Sydney insisted.

"Yes, she did."

"No...she didn't."

"Yes...she...did."

Sydney huffed and sat back and folded her arms. "Well, she didn't thank me," she muttered.

"OK!" I announced. "Enough with pop song quizzes for the insane, Why don't we pick this up tomorrow then, yes?"

Michael and Sydney nodded, said thank you and left. I shook my head and wrote on my note pad. _"Serious Issues!" _

Sydney and Vaughn walked out the office and without looking at each other, each went a different way, Sydney left and Vaughn right, without saying a word.

Sydney walks in the door and puts her purse and keys on the table. She walks in the living room and presses the blinking red light the answering machine. "You have one message," it beeps, "Thursday, 5:25pm. Sydney...it's Dr. Barnett. I was just calling to remind you and Michael that you have an appointment with me Saturday at nine in the morning. However, I would like to speak to each of you one at a time, So if you could come in at nine and Michael at ten...that'll be great. Okay? Have a good night, see you tomorrow. Bye. End of message." Sydney sighed, rolling her eyes and started to take out dinner for Vaughn and Isabelle when she heard the door bell ring. Sydney walked up to the door and opened it. "Hey," Nadia said. Sydney smiled and hugged her sister, letting her in. They both walked in the kitchen as Sydney said," So...you're back early. The OP go well?"

"Yes." Nadia smiled. "It went very well."

"You know, ever since you moved in with Eric, I haven't heard from you lately. I guess things are going wonderfully, huh?"

"I know. I'm sorry. Just you know, between missions, and Eric, and your life, I don't want to intrude."

"Please," Sydney rolled her eyes, "You're family. It's your job to intrude."

Nadia laughed then looked at Sydney seriously. "So...how are things going?"

"Good." Sydney started to prepare the dinner she was making for her family.

Nadia waited a moment for Sydney to say more, but she didn't. "Come on Syd. Stop being cryptic like that. It's me."

Sydney stopped what she was doing and turned towards Nadia. "How are you and Vaughn doing?" Nadia asked.

"Depends on what time of day you ask me," Sydney muttered.

The tone is Sydney's voice suggested to Nadia that it was anything but a joke. It was starting to get serious. "How do you mean?"

Sydney sighs. "It seems, that lately there is this huge wall between us. I don't know what he wants from me."

--  
Vaughn is sitting in a bar, drinking with Eric Weiss, in deep conversation with him. Vaughn sighed again and put down his drink. "I just want her to acknowledge me, you know?" Vaughn was saying. Eric nodded his head as Vaughn continued. "She's so stubborn and insists on doing everything herself, when I am here to help, and she doesn't realize that."

"Well," Eric began, "She's been that way her whole life, you know? With a father like Jack and a mother like Irina?"

"I know."

"And isn't that the part of her that made you fall in love with her?"

"Yes," Vaughn admitted. "But she doesn't have to do everything herself..."

--  
"I feel like I have to do everything myself," Sydney exclaimed. "He complains about the stupidest things!"  
Nadia raised her eyebrow at Sydney, "Like what?"

"Songs today! Hockey yesterday. He thinks I always need him, and yes, sometimes I depend on him, but I don't need a man to do everything for me."

"But that's not how Michael is."

"Exactly! He won't change, but I have to?"

--  
"Have you talked to her about it?" Eric asked.  
Vaughn just shook his head. "Every time I try, something happens or gets in the way."

--  
"Has he talked to you about it?" Nadia asked.

Sydney shook her head. "He hasn't even tried. It's like he expects me to do something about it."  
"Well...why not?"

"Because he doesn't want me to do everything, remember?"

Nadia nods and bits her lip

--  
"I love her so damn much, Eric, but sometimes..."

--  
"...I just want to...smack him or something," Sydney finished.

--  
"Well, you do that," Eric said, "And Jack will kill you...painfully."

"So," I began. "How are you today?"

Sydney smiled at me and said fine. It was the first day she was alone here, so I expected that more about her and her relationship with her husband was to be revealed. I hoped. It was really hard to break these two down like that. "Why don't we start, ok?"

"That's fine," Sydney said.

"OK," I began. "Let's start with Friday morning."

"Okay..."

"From the beginning," I clarified. "Specifically...you and Michael."

"All right," Sydney said. "We got up, like always, showered, like always..."

--  
Sydney rushes into the kitchen and avoids stepping over all the split cereal on the kitchen floor. Isabella continues to make a mess at the table while she pours milk in her cereal bowl. "Isabella," Sydney complained, "What are you doing?" She grabs a towel from a drawer and wipes the table, then picks up the cereal on the floor. "I was hungry," Isabelle explains. Sydney finishes cleaning up as Vaughn walks in, finishing buttoning up his shirt. He kisses Isabelle and walks past Sydney and opens the fridge. He sighs angrily and pulls out a carton of orange juice and shakes it, showing Sydney it's emptiness. "I told you to make a list," Sydney said. Vaughn threw the empty container in the trash and closed the fridge and pointed at a note on it titled _'Things we Need.'_ Sydney shrugged and took the cereal box from Isabelle as she was being to pour more. "We have to go," Vaughn said, "We're late." Isabelle takes her bowl and puts it in the sink as Sydney grabs her jacket, and Vaughn grabs the keys. "Come on honey," Sydney called to Isabelle, "Grab your backpack and lets go."

A half hour later, Vaughn pulls up to the preschool and Sydney and Isabelle get out and walk in. They walk in the classroom as all the kids are taking their seats. Sydney bends down and fixes Isabelle's jacket. "You all set?"

Isabelle smiles and nods. "Yep."

"Good. I love you."

"Love you too, Mommy."

Sydney kisses her and stands up, watching her daughter take her seat and talk with her friends. Sydney walks out of the room, back into the lobby and smiles at the desk clerk. "Morning Carrie."

Carrie smiles at Sydney. "Morning Mrs. Vaughn. Everything okay?"

"Yeah, just running late."

"Boss won't be happy, huh?"

Sydney frowns. _No...he sure won't _

Sydney and Vaughn enter the briefing room as Sloane is talking. He stops immediately at their noted arrival, all eyes laid on them. Sydney looked at them all and silently apologized, while Sloane glared at them. "As I was saying," he began again. "This new threat called, The Hand, has now acquired a nuclear weapon and intel suspects, they plan to use it on us, as well as England, and South America."

"Why are they called, The Hand?" Eric asked.

"Because, there are five different factions, joined together, Five powerful, and influential leaders. Langley has not confirmed the location of this weapon or if they in fact even have it. All we have to go on is a suspected high activity location located in Moscow." Sloane said.

"So, you want us to go in and confirm the location of the weapon." Sydney summed up

"Exactly," Sloane answered. "Needless to say, that if this weapon is in fact in their hands," Sloane paused at the slight giggle he got from Marshall, who immediately shut up after Sloane looked at him," No pun intended," he directed at Marshall," We need to get this weapon from them. So, Sydney, Dixon, you two will go to Moscow and confirm the location. Langley believes it is being held in a building that handles these kinds of things. Keeping bombs, information, located in secret deposits off the books. It's disguised as a Russian bank. Nadia, Weiss, Vaughn...you three will serve as back up. Get in, confirm, get out. OP-Tech in one hour. That is all."

On the plane, Sydney shuts her cell phone and sits down, next to her sister and directly across from Vaughn who is sitting by the aisle, next to Weiss and Dixon. "My dad will pick up Isabelle from school and bring her to his house," she told Vaughn

"Okay," he said. Sydney stared at Vaughn. "Do you think you could have more than a one word vocabulary with me?" she snapped.

"What do you want me to say?" he snapped back. "Your dad is picking up Isabelle...so?"

Sydney shook her head and picked up a magazine, and opened it. "Never mind...forget it."

"Fine."

"Fine."

Sydney looked at Vaughn over her magazine as he sighed and read his file. Weiss leaned over to Dixon. "Do we have an alcohol on this plane?"

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Well, I gotta say, I am thrilled. I've gotten a lot of good reviews on this story so far and it's just beginning. Thank you so much for your review (you know who you are :) ). It was acutally the reason I typed this up now. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well and you look forward to the next one. ;)

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I leaned back in my seat and slightly sighed. "So, you were off to a rough day?" Sydney relaxed her shoulders a bit and nodded at me. "I see," I said. "Well...tell me how the mission went."

Actually..." Sydney began.

"It went well?" I asked hopefully.

Sydney smiled a bit, "I didn't say that..."

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Sydney and Dixon were walked down a long marbled titled hallway with a slightly little tiny man. He reminded Sydney of the Sloane double so very much she shivered at the thought. "So," Sydney said. Instead of her normal accent though, it was an Italian accent, to go along with her Alias. "We need to deposit something big. Something, that our enemies cannot know about."

"Oh, that's fine," the little man said. "We are known very well for keeping 'special' deposits like that."

Dixon frowned at the man and replied, "We need to be sure that you have top-notch security here." His accent was also Italian and the little man thought it was out-of-character. But given his size over Dixon's...he didn't say anything.

"Oh, no," the man said, "The moment you entered this building, we did a full back round and weapons check on you. As a matter of fact, you have just undergone about seven different security measures."

Dixon glanced over at Sydney. "So...the security back here...?" Sydney said

"Oh, there is none. No need for it," the little man replied. Sydney smiled briefly at Dixon, both thinking the same thing. _Too easy..._

All three of them reached a door on the corner. "Ok, here it is," the little man said.

Sydney turned and looked down the hall. At the far end of it, there was a big metal door with the words 'Danger. Do Not enter'. Sydney glanced over at Dixon and saw that he was looking at the door as well. "Uh, what is down there," Sydney asked, casually pointing to the door down the hall.

"Oh, that's our 'very very special deposit. Have no idea what's in it. Maybe..."

Dixon hit the little man from behind, cutting his sentence off, and knocking him out. "We found the door," Dixon confirmed. On the other end of the comms Vaughn came back. "Copy that. Locking on your position now." Both Dixon and Sydney ran down towards the door at the end of the hallway. Sydney stopped as she noticed a keypad. She took out the key scrambler and placed on the key pad. Sydney peered closely at it and rolled her eyes. She pressed in her ear piece to communicate with the team. "Marshall," she began, "This key code has three different ones."

Back in Los Angeles, Marshall listened to Sydney through the comms and started typing on his keyboard. "Uh, ok. There is one sequence made out of three? Um..."

"Marshall!" Sydney pressed.

"Ok, um, give me the codes."

"Ok..."

"No wait. Give me the first three numbers of the first code."

"6, 5, 8."

Marshall wrote down the numbers, "Ok, now the second to last of the last four codes."

"1, 2, 9, 0."

"And...now the last two codes of the third one."

"7, 8"

"Ok," Marshall quick wrote down all the codes."

"Marshall...?

"Ok, the code is, 1 9 2 0 5 8 8 7 6."

Sydney typed in the code and the door unlocked. "Got it," Sydney said. Marshall sighed and sat back in his chair. Dixon and Sydney entered the room at the same time, and both stopped. Weiss noticed the silence and looked at Nadia, "What is it?" he asked. Sydney looked stunned looking at the bomb. "It's a nuke," she answered. "It's huge...can take out five major cities with one shot..."

"Do we know whose deposit this is?" Dixon asked.

"No," Vaughn said, "But we're downloading their files now. Chances are, because it's off the books, there won't be a record."

"Figures," Sydney muttered. She took out her small camera and began taking pictures of the bomb. Within a minute, she was done. "Ok, let's get out of here."

"Wait," Weiss said. "You have ten heavily armed guards approaching your location. You must have tripped an silent alarm."

Sydney rolled her eyes at Dixon as he pulled out his weapon, and she took off her coat, pulling out her gun. "Guess we'll have to go out the hard way."

"Syd," Vaughn said.

"Yeah?"

"Be careful."

Sydney paused for a moment, letting her husbands touch of concern for her sink in. She smiled and nodded. "I will," she assured him. She glanced at Dixon. "You ready to rock and roll?"

Dixon smiled at her. "I always am."

_Song: Faith No More: Midlife Crisis; playing_

Dixon opens the door and bullets whiz right past them, but both Sydney and Dixon take cover on either side of the wall. Both at the same time, come out and fire and move into the hallway and take cover. Sydney fires at the guards, taking two of them out then her and Dixon run down the hallway, towards the exit, the guards in tow. They come around the corner only to see the exit is completely blocked off. They take cover behind another corner as the guards by the exit fire at them. "We don't have enough ammo to take all of them out," Sydney said, out of breath. Dixon looked over her shoulder and pointed. Sydney followed his gaze as he was pointing to a window. Sydney turned to him, wide-eyed. "Dixon, we're on the fifth floor!" Dixon fired at the guards as others were fast approaching them. "You got any better ideas," he asked her. Dixon fired at them again just as a grenade rolled by their feet. Sydney, without hesitation, ran to the window, Dixon directly behind her. She shot at the window then used her weight and smashed through the rest of the window as the grenade went off.

Weiss, Vaughn and Nadia all saw the explosion from the fifth story window. "Dear God," Weiss whispered. Nadia quickly got behind the wheel of the van, started it up and sped off .

Sydney rolled over and groaned in pain. Dixon slowly got up and looked over at Sydney. "Great plan," she muttered. Dixon offered his hand and helped her up. "We've been through worse," he stated. Before Sydney could reply back, gun shots rang out again at them as the guards were running towards them again. Sydney and Dixon fired back and ran of in the opposite direction. Nadia burned rubber and sped towards Sydney and Dixon and stopped in front of them. Thinking it was an enemy van, Sydney and Dixon raised their weapons as Weiss opened the back door. Sydney and Dixon sighed in relief and jumped in and Nadia slammed on the brakes and sped away from the guards.

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"But the mission was a success?" I asked.

Sydney nodded at me. "Yeah, it was."

"What about on the way back?"

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Vaughn is wrapping a bandage around Sydney's bloody arm. Sydney winces in pain and pushes Vaughn's hand away and wraps it herself. "You should get that looked at," Vaughn told her. Sydney finishes wrapping it and looks at Vaughn. "It's fine."

Vaughn sits down. "Yeah, but still..."

"I said I was fine, Vaughn."

He just sat there and looked at her hurt. Sydney stared back up him, but then got up and walked away.

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"There's always tension between us." Sydney explained.

"What kind?" I asked

"All kinds. It's like, we always want to say something to each other, but we never do. Something always stops us."

"And you don't know what that is?"

"Well...if I did..."

"You wouldn't be here," I finished for her. "I understand."

Sydney nodded and rested her hands in her lap. I watched her for a bit as she avoided my gaze. I gently put my pen and pad down and looked at her. "How often do you two have sex?"

She must have been offended. Well, no, scratch that. If she were offended, she would have killed me. It was a question that Sydney wasn't expecting. I caught her off guard and by her pause. I had to guess, they didn't have sex very often.

"Um..."

I raised my eyebrow at her, "How about we narrow it down to a week. How many times in a week?"

Still, Sydney said nothing. "Uh..."

"Three?" Still nothing. "Two?" Sydney bit her lip. "One?" I asked hopefully. Still...she said nothing. _Oh boy..._

I quickly grabbed my pen and pad and wrote the note down. _'No sex! Could be a reasonable factor in faulty relationship.'_

"It's just, you know, with the CIA, and Isabelle, and...well...you know..."

I noticed that Sydney was extremely nervous and uncomfortable. Sweating, even.

"Do you find him...repulsing?"

"God no!" Sydney exclaimed. "It's just...hard to put in words, I guess."

"Uh-huh. Why don't you try tonight?"

"Try what?"

I blinked at her, "To have sex. With your husband."

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Sydney walks in her bedroom and leans against the wall, looking at Vaughn. Vaughn looks up from his book and sees Sydney. "What?"

Sydney smiles at him. "Nothing."

Vaughn smiles back at her and places the book on the nightstand. "You think it's funny that I'm reading?"

"No," Sydney said smiling.

"Come here." Sydney walked over and sat next to Vaughn and rested her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. "Do you think we need a shrink," he suddenly asked.

Sydney raised her head and looked at him. "I don't know really."

Vaughn sighed. "Me either." Vaughn studied her then moved in to kiss her, and Sydney let him. It felt good to be in his arms again after so long. To feel a connection between them again. Sydney kissed him back and Vaughn took off her shirt and started to kiss her neck. As he was started to get more intimate, Sydney pushed him off her. "No...I can't."

"What?"

Sydney pushed Vaughn off her and she quickly got up and went into the bathroom, and closed the door. Vaughn looked after her and sighed. "No," he muttered. "We don't need a shrink."

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"She threw up, okay? Vomited." Vaughn exclaimed. I studied him very well. Things didn't exactly go very well last night, I took it.

"Many mothers go threw this, Michael," I explained. "After so long of built up sexual tension, it's hard for them."

Vaughn only stared at me. "Isabelle is two," he said.

A bit my lip. _Well, he's got a point there._ "Well, maybe it was too fast then. Maybe you should start off simple. Dinner, for example. Get to know each other again and built up on that love you both already have."

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Vaughn walks out of his office and sees Sydney working over her computer. Vaughn walks over to Sydney and smiles at her. "Hey."

Sydney looks up at him through her glasses and slightly smiles. "Hey. Listen, about last night..."

"Don't worry about Syd, really." Sydney nods and smiles at him. "Listen, I figured, tonight we could go out. To dinner together."

"A date?" Sydney smiled.

"Yeah...something like that," he smiled back.

"That sounds perfect."

"Ok then...it's a date."

"Ok."

Smiling Vaughn left Sydney to finish her work when Eric approached him. "Oh, hey man, I need your help."

"What kind of help," Vaughn asked, worried.

Eric looked around quickly and showed him a ring. "I want to ask Nadia..."

"To marry you, no way?"

Eric smiles. "Yeah."

"Well, I'm not asking her for you."

"No, I need help to do it. How'd you ask Syd?"

"You mean before or after or impending death?"

"Before."

Vaughn sighs and looks at Sydney working, "You just do. You tell her the truth, how you really feel." He looks back at Eric. "You just speak from your heart."

"Ok...but how?"

"Come here."

Vaughn leads Eric into another empty office. "Practice on me."

"What?"

"Come one," Vaughn pressed. "Pretend I'm Nadia."

"Yeah, sure," Eric replied sarcastically.

"Ok, you know what? Fine." Vaughn went to leave but Eric stopped him. "Okay, okay."

Eric knelt on one knee and held the ring up to Vaughn. "Nadia...ever since I met you, you...have been wonderful. And..."

"Weiss, you're trying too hard."

"Ok," Eric sighed. "Um..."

"Just speak from the heart."

"Alright. Nadia, since you came into my life, I've never been happier. You are the most amazing, beautiful, talented woman, I have ever met and I want to be a part of that forever. So...will you marry me?"

Vaughn smiles and nods at Eric.

"Oh my God."

Vaughn and Eric quickly look up and see Sydney covering her mouth from laughing out loud. "I had no idea," she giggled.

"Shut up," Vaughn smiled at her.

Sydney walked in the room and took the ring from Eric.

"Hey!"

"Weiss, it's beautiful."

"You think she'll like it," he asked.

"She will love it." She hands the ring back to him. "But first, I think you two have to get divorced."

"Okay." Annoyed, Eric left the room and Vaughn followed him.

"Wait," Sydney said, following them out. "I want to hear the answer."

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"Your mission to Russia was successful. Langley got the weapon just in time as it was being moved to a different location. The CIA now has it, secured. I just wanted to let you all know the great job you did. Go home, relax. Enjoy today. I'll see you all tomorrow." Sloane finished and smiled at them all.

Everyone got up and left the briefing room. Vaughn walked up to Sydney and smiled at her. "So..."

Sydney returned his smile with her own. "I'll see you in an hour or so. I just have to pick up Isabelle and drop her off at my dad's."

"Ok...see you there."

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Sydney pulls her car up to the preschool and gets out. She hits the alarm button on it and walks into the lobby. Sydney sees a man standing at the desk and looks closely at him. Hello," he greets her.

"Hi. Are, you new?"

The man shakes his head. "I'm just filling in for Carrie. She went home sick."

"Oh." Sydney walks in the classroom and up to Isabelle's teacher. Sydney looks around the room. "Where's Isabelle?"

"Oh," the teacher said. "She just went to the restroom."

"In the lobby?"

"Yes."

Sydney walked back in to the he lobby and found the man gone. Sydney looked puzzled, but ignored it. He probably went to the bathroom too, she thought. Sydney pushed open the door to the woman's restroom. "Isabelle?" No answer. Sydney opened all the stalls, and found nothing. Then she found a stall that was locked. "Isabelle?" She kicked in the stall door, and opened it, and gasped. Carrie was sitting on the toilet, dead, and a sharp knife sticking out from her skull. Sydney covered her mouth and looked around the bathroom. Where the hell is Isabelle? She pulled out her gun and stormed out of the restroom nearly colliding with Isabelle's teacher. The teacher looked at Sydney's gun in surprise. "Isabelle?" Sydney shook her head. "She's not in there." Sydney rushed out of the school and looked around. Save for her car and a few other teachers cars, the parking lot was empty. Sydney looked around though, and spotted a dark tinted van peeling away from behind the school...in too much of a hurry. Sydney pulled out her keys, jumped in car and took off after the van...

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Okay, something I have been asked so many times that I need to clear up, Carrie (in this story) isn't Marshall's wife.**

**Now, I am very sorry that it took me forever to update this story, and you might not like this chapter very well, because I found it to be weak, but I will love your reviews on it. **

She slams on the gas pedal and shoots out of the parking lot of the preschool, carefully avoiding an accidents. She sees the van ahead of her about five car lengths and turns into the left lane directly behind the van. Sydney was at a disadvantage though. One, it was rush hour and she was on a busy three lane roadway. And two, she had no idea the condition Isabelle was in or where the van was intending to go. The upside she did have, was that her car was a lot faster and had better turning, allowing her to speed up to the van. Sydney did everything she could. She pissed a lot of people off doing so, but she didn't care. You mean focus was on the van and getting Isabelle to safety. Sydney sped up once again and cut off another car, but this time she was right beside the van. The only problem now was getting in front of it. She took another left and then cut her wheel to the right, spinning the car around, and slammed on her brakes. In an instincts reaction, the van suddenly stopped, nearly clipping Sydney's car, and causing the cars behind him to stop. The driver got out of the van and looked in front of it, to see if he damaged anything. Sydney got out, with her gun aimed at the man. "Put your hands up now!"

The Driver follows her orders, but looks angrily at her. "What the hell is your problem lady?" Sydney ignores him and walks over to him. He glares at her and Sydney grabs his head and slams his face on the front end of his van. "What the fu-!"

"Listen to me, I've had a really crappy week and I just missed an important date, so if you want to keep your vital bodily organs, I advise you shut up and do as I say," Sydney warned him. He didn't say another word as Sydney patted him down for weapons. She released him and raised her gun at him again. "Go to the back of the van." He did so, Sydney in tow. "Open it." The man glared at her again. "Open the doors!" He sighs and opens it. "Back away. Now!" He takes a few steps back and Sydney looks in the back of the van. She sighs heavily and lowers her weapon. She looks back at the cleaning supplies in the back of the van.

"Satisfied?" The man rudely asked.

"I'm..." But Sydney couldn't say anything. It just dawned on her. My daughter is missing. Someone took her, she was sure of it. But who, and why? And why did they kill Carrie? To make me scared? It that was the case, they did a good job. Sydney was terrified. _What if this new group has her? Is she alive? What if they killed her?_ All these questions and thoughts ran through her mind at once, being too much for her to handle. A car horn suddenly threw her from her thoughts and she stared at another man leaning out of his car. "Hey! What the hell is the problem? Why are you blocking the damn road?" Sydney looked at him and realized the van and her car were blocking two of the lanes and blocking traffic. She didn't move though, she was paralyzed. _My daughter is missing..._

_--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Vaughn enters the house quickly and walks in the living room. He sees a few agents standing around, and sees Jack and Sloane standing near Sydney, who is sitting on the couch staring dead ahead and making no knowledge or concern of the quiet conversations that are going on. Her sister, sitting next to Sydney, sees Vaughn first and looks at him sadly. "What's going on?" he asked. With one look from Sydney though...he didn't want to know.

"Vaughn," Jack began.

Vaughn ignored him and looked at Sydney. "Sydney...what's going on?"

"Vaughn..."

"Sydney..."

"Michael." Vaughn turned to him. "Isabelle is missing."

"What?" Vaughn couldn't believe it. He looked at Sydney for an answer but she stared back at him blankly.

"We think she was kidnapped. Possibly by The Hand."

Tears started to well up in his eyes, as he sank into the nearest chair. "Why..."

"We don't know," Sloane said. "But we believe they will make a list of demands soon."

As if on cue...Sydney's cell phone rang. Everyone got silent and all looked at it. As if she was snapped out of her daze, Sydney looked up at them, then at her cell phone. One of the agents started typing on his computer, then nodded at Sydney who reached for it.

"Hello?"

"Mrs. Bristow," a man said on the other side on the conversation. "You and your CIA friends have been very naughty, stealing something that belonged to me."

"Where's my daughter?"

"She is safe...for now. Providing, you help me out."

"Why should I trust you?"

"Because, Agent Bristow...I've got the prize."

"Mommy!" Isabelle's voice rang out. Tears welled in Sydney's eyes.

"Now," the man continued. "I would like my bomb back."

"You are insane if you think the CIA will just hand it back to you," she managed to get out.

"Well then, I suggest you find a way around that, Bristow. I want the bomb back were it was in twelve hours or every hour after that you will receive a body part from you daughter."

The man hung up, and Sydney stared at her phone, then at Vaughn. They were both resolved. Were taking that bomb back

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"No. Absolutely not," Director Chase was saying. "

"Director Chase..." Sydney insisted.

"I will not put a nuclear weapon back in the hands of terrorists. It will not happen, Agent Bristow."

"Someone's life is at stake here..."

"I said no. The weapon will be held by the CIA then transported to Langley. Handing the weapon back to them nicely is not a risk I will take."

"They have my daughter!"

Director Chase looks at Sydney, sympathetically as Sydney continues. "They know who I am, and they have Isabelle. Please, Director Chase."

Chase didn't say anything for awhile, but when she finally did, she nodded. "Do you happen to have a plan to get it back?"

"No...Not yet."

"Then until you do, Agent Bristow...the answer is no."

Sydney sighed and watched Chase walk away.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Director Chase has refused to cooperate with us," Sloane said. "As you all know, Isabelle, Sydney's daughter, is being held by The Hand. As of this moment, APO will be cut off from the CIA. We will have nothing to do with them by my orders. We will get Isabelle back and it will be Black OPS. If you have any doubts about this, or wish to be relieved of duty, now is the time to do so."

He looked around, at Weiss, at Nadia, Jack, Dixon, Marshall, and finally at Vaughn. He nodded then looked at Sydney, standing beside him.

"Chase said," she began, "That the weapon will be transported to Langley tomorrow, so we only one shot at this. The CIA is holding it behind their government building and it is being kept a secret but I will bet my life, Chase has that heavily guarded now."

"So, we go in stealth?" Dixon asked

"No...Not exactly..."

**Downtown Los Angeles**

_Song; Pink: 'Cuz I can ; Playing_

Sydney pulls up to a dance club in a sleek and stylish Red Ferrari. The two guards look at her, then each other and grin. Sydney steps out of the car and throws the keys at the valet who stares at her then the car, with his jaw dropped open. In a very short white dress, and wearing a small fur coat and high heels with large sun shades...revealing a lot in general, Sydney stops in front of the guards and slipped off her glasses. The guards look her up and down and smiles at her, letting her in. Sydney smiles back and enters the club.

------

"One of the security guards that always work that shift, stops in the club down the street for a drink," Sydney stated. "We get him; we get his card key and access to the building."

"Why can't we just use our access?" Weiss asked.

"Because, Chase will know what were up to," Vaughn answered.

"And she has probably stripped our clearance as well for the time being," Jack added.

"How can you find this guy," Nadia asked.

"Easily..." Sydney answered.

--------

Sydney sat at the bar and took off her coat and throws it on the empty chair next to her. The man sitting next to her on the right looked at her. She smiled, and he grinned at her back. Moments later, Sydney walks out of the bathroom, the guard on the floor, knocked out, and Sydney holding the card key. "I've got it," she says through comms.

---------

"With all those guards there then, we're going to need a distraction," Nadia said.

"Yeah...something big," Weiss added.

Dixon thought, "I think I could come up with something."

-------

A black SUV speeds through the back area, around the guards and passes them. Then, it hits the wall on the side of them and explodes.

--------

"Isn't that a little over the top?" Jack asked.

"No," Sydney jumped in. "That's perfect.We want to make a statement. To The Hand, to the CIA."

----------

Dixon, about 50 feet from the crash, watches asfour of the guards run to the scene. "There's still one guard left," he says.

Nadia takes off her headset and gets out of the van. "We'll take care of it," Weiss says, and he follows Nadia.

The guard left talks over his radio. "What do you have?"

"Oh my God!" He hears a woman scream and goes around the corner where he heard it. "Phoenix, you're clear." Dixon said.

Sydney comes around from the opposite corner and puts the card through the key slot card. It beeps and opens up and Sydney slips in. "I'm in."

Dixon nods. "Boy scout, Phoenix is clear. Proceed."

"Copy that," Vaughn replies.

Sydney walks past the bomb and goes over to the computer. She hooks up a hard drive to the computer and begins to type. Within a few moments, the bomb begins to low itself onto a moveable platform underneath it. Sydney type on the computer some more and the hanger door opens.

Dixon sees the door opening and looks towards the crash scene, seeing the two guards, still trying to put out the fire. The third guard comes around the corner and sees Nadia crying and pointing at Weiss, who is on the ground, bleeding in the chest. "What happened?" the guard asked. "I don't know!" Nadia wailed. The guard leans in close to Weiss, and Weiss sits up and punches him, knocking him out. He looks up at Nadia, "Good acting."

She smiles at him, "You too."

"Yeah…I play dead very well. Practice, you know?"

A Tractor Trailer approaches them and Dixon gets up from his position and runs to help Sydney. The Truck stops and Vaughn gets out, and lowers the ramp. He then runs in and helps Sydney and Dixon move then bomb. "We have to hurry," Dixon said, "The other guards will be here soon."

They move the bomb into the truck and Dixon raises the ramp and closes the back door just as the guards come around the corner. "Come on," Sydney urged. They ran into the truck and Vaughn sped off as quickly as possible, as the guards realize the bomb is missing. Vaughn pulls the truck onto the highway and Weiss and Nadia's van comes in behind them, following them back to APO.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sydney paces around the briefing room of APO, restless. Vaughn is sitting at the table and staring at Sydney's cell phone, lying on the table. Nadia and Weiss are sitting next to Dixon and Jack when Sloane enters. "Still no word?" he asks.

"No," Jack answers. "It's been two hours. They would have gotten the bomb delivered to them by now." The doors to the room opened suddenly and Chase entered. She looked around the room and then directly at Sydney.

"Agent Bristow."

"Director Chase."

"You know why I am here."

"To arrest me?" Chase didn't say anything, only nodded. "They're going to call," Sydney said.

"We're also watching their every move," Sloane said. "They won't get away with the bomb."

"I sure hope so," Chase said.

Sydney stopped pacing when she heard her phone ringing. Everyone looked at the phone as Sydney reached for it. "Where's my daughter?"

"First, I wanted to congratulate you," the voice said. "Going against the CIA like that, you and your fellow members did an excellent job."

"You got the bomb didn't you?" Sydney reassured.

"Yes…"

"My daughter."

"In time Agent Bristow. When the bomb reaches a secure place and I am sure you are tracking us, then you will have your daughter."

"That wasn't the agreement."

"I will call again in six hours." Then, the hanged up. Sydney closed her phone and slammed it on the table. Everyone knew what had happened. They were played…and Isabelle was still missing.

TBC

reviews please!


	4. Chapter 4

**WARNING: I didn't go into detail too much, but the ending of this chapter could be disturbing to some. All I gotta say, is don't stop reading it...trust me on this.**

**_5 hours later..._**

Vaughn walks in his house. Once so full of life, warmth and happiness, now felt empty, dark and painful. _How did we ever get here? _he thought. He dropped his keys on the counter and walked in the living room, and saw Sydney sitting on the couch over dozens of pictures. "Syd, what are you doing?" Sydney looked up at him, surprised that he was he was here...or was it relief? He wasn't sure, but Sydney looked worse than he did. They had both been up for 48 hours straight, thinking nothing but the worse. Sydney's eyes were puffy so he knew she had been crying. Sydney picked up a photo and held up for him. He walked over to her, took the photo and sat down, sighing deeply. "I remember this," he said. "Her birthday." In the picture was Isabelle holding her favorite stuffed animal...Mickey Mouse. Sydney slightly smiled, remembering as well.

"She wanted to go to Disney and meet Mickey."

Vaughn smiled as well. "Do you remember what it took me to get her that doll?"

"Yes," Sydney laughed. "When it was thrown out accidentally."

"Yes...and I had to go all the way downtown and search for it, then convince the manager at the dump site, why I needed that..."

"And you brought it home and washed it, and she still took it and loved it," Sydney finished.

Vaughn put the picture down and stared at the others. "I promised her last week on her birthday that we would go and see Mickey...go to Disney."

They sat in silence for awhile. It might have been fifteen minutes or so, they weren't sure. Neither knew what to say. What would you say? All they had to do was wait. Wait till they got the call from Jack to come in and wait for The Hand to call them with the location of Isabelle. _She's alive_, Vaughn thought. _She's alive..._

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sydney and Vaughn walked into APO with a purpose, with hope. Both had cleaned up to erase any evidence of sulking, and both were filled with positive gleaming hopes on their daughters safe return. What they were really feeling...was far beyond that. Sydney and Vaughn walked in as one, and saw Nadia, Jack and Sloane already in the office, talking. "Have they called?" Sydney asked right away.

"No," Sloane answered.

"They said six hours," Vaughn reminded them. "It's been six and half now."

"We know," Jack said, "But we have no way of contacting them, and the tracker stopped in an abandoned building in Chimki."

"Then I say we go to Chimki," Sydney replied.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Chimki**

A SWAT style APO van pulls up to the abandoned building, and agents all jump out from the back of the van. Sydney and Vaughn are the last ones out, but the first ones at the door. Vaughn brings his foot up and back and kicks in the door. With her gun raised, Sydney enters the building first followed by the other agents, including Jack and Vaughn. Within minutes, they clear the whole building, about the size of a small house and take a closer look around. It was completely empty, save for a desk and table in the far corner and chains hanging from the ceiling and far corner of the room. Vaughn walked over to the desk and saw a note lying on it. He picked it up and read it; _"I knew you'd come here, Agents. I know that you'd anything to get your daughter back, however, we are no longer in Russia, nor is your daughter, I did leave a thank you present for your troubles."_ Vaughn looks around the room and yells, "Get out, now!" Everyone runs out of the building and goes to the van just as the building explodes. Sydney looks at Vaughn in shock and despair, with all hope lost, as Vaughn slams his hand on the van and curses.

**Los Angeles**

In the early morning, Sydney sits at the breakfast table and stares ahead to the bowl of soggy cereal in front of her, where Isabelle would normally have sat. Nothing about this day was normal though. Isabelle was still missing, and they had lost all leads. APO was completely cut off from the CIA and under heavy surveillance. Vaughn had insisted on going to APO to try and get contacts to find The Hand again. Sydney stayed behind only to shower, but in the habit of making Isabelle breakfast every school morning, she forgot that Isabelle wasn't here. And it broke her heart. Sydney got up slowly and grabbed the bowl and placed it in the sink, and washed it. She looked out the window and saw the mail truck stop in front of her house. They don't come at this time... Sydney grabbed her gun and hide it in her belt, under her shirt and stepped outside, as the mail truck left. She walked up to the mail box and opened it. There was only one piece of mail in it, and it was addressed to her. Sydney took the envelope and walked back into the house.  
She stood in the kitchen and opened the envelope. Inside, was a card. _"Dear Mrs. Vaughn...My deepest condolences on the death of your daughter."_ Sydney gasped. Inside the card was a picture. Sydney pulled out the picture and burst into tears. She covered her mouth with her hand, and her knees buckled. She suddenly felt weak...horrified. She dropped the card and picture and ran at the sink and threw up. The picture, was a photograph of Isabelle, beaten, bloody, bruised,...dead  
TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Vaughn couldn't believe it...he didn't want too. He had seen enough not to trust things like this. He threw the picture across the table and shook his head at the picture of his dead daughter. "No...it's a fake." "Vaughn..." SYdney sighed. Instead, he shook his head again, "No! I don't believe she is dead, Sydney. Not by a picture." Marshall raised his hand slowly, and avioded looking at the picture. "I can, uh, help to...you know, answer that?" Sydney and Vaughn turned to him and when all eyes were on him, he continued. "Well...in every picture, there are pixels. Tiny little pieces of the picture that make up the whole picture, you know? Well...when images are created to...alter, whatever the real image is, then...the pixels wouldn't actually be pixels. The would be larger than normal to make the illusion of a actually picture."

"How long will you take you Marshall?" Sloane asked.

"A few hours...at least," he said.

Jack looked at Sydney adn Vaughn. "You two should get some rest."

Sydney had gotten back to the house before Vaughn. Sydney walked right into Isabelle's room and turns on the light and looks around. Sydney reaches on Isabelle's bed and picks up her Mickey Mouse animal and looking at it, smiles.

_Isabelle rips through her present and jumps up and down. "Yay, you got me Mickey, you got me Mickey!" _

Sydney and Vaughn look at each other and smile, laughing, as Sydney and Vaughn watch Isabelle take out her beloved Mikey Mouse doll.

"Do you like him?" SYdney asked.

"Yes!" Isabelle runs up to them and hugs them. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."

"You're welcome, Princess," Vaughn smiles.

"Can we get to see the real one?" Isabelle asked

Vaughn looks at Sydney. "Of course we will."

"Really, Daddy? Because you said that last year."

"No baby," Sydney said. "We will do it this month, okay?"

"This month? You guys are the best parents ever!"

Isabelle hugs them again.

Sydney stares at the doll and walks over to Isabelle's dresser and sees a book she made in school. Sydney reads the title; 'Why I love my family'. She sits in the corner on the floor and opens it up.

-------------------------------------------------

Vaughn opens his car door and get's in, starting the engine. He sits there for a while and sees the CD player, playing. He turns up the voulme, and listens to the song.

_Vaughn is driving along the highway, with the windows down and Isabeel next to him, with the song blasting and Isabelle singing along with it. "Thanks to you years ago, I guess I'll never know, What love means to me." _

Vaughn looks over at her and smiles. "Shouldn't you be singing to...I don't know, Barney, or something?"

Isabelle rolls her eyes, "Dad, please."

Vaughn smiles at her. "You listen to this song a lot?"

"I've memorized all of Pink's songs Dad, I like her music."

"Really?"

"Yeah...sing along with me."

"Oh no...I don't sing."

"Come on. Mom does."

"Well, she-" Vaughn looks at Isabelle who only smiles at him. "She does?" Isabelle nods. "Is she good?"  
Isabelle thinks for a moment. "Um...no comment."

Vaughn laughs and Iasbelle smiles at him.

Vaughn leans back in his chair and listens to the words...

**_I'll keep rolling down this road  
But I've got a bad, bad feeling  
It's gonna take a long time to love  
It's gonna take a lot to hold on  
It's gonna be a long way to happy_**

Vaughn starts to cry and rests his head on the steering wheel, sobbing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Sydney, still sitting in the corner of Isabelle's room, still holding Mickey, stares ahead, No more tears left to cry. No more emotion left to hide or give away. Sydney was spent. She had no idea what to do now, she was lost. Vaughn entered the room and saw Sydney. "Hey," he said softly.  
"Hey."  
"What are you doing?"  
Sydney shrugs...unable to respond. Vaughn shoved his hands in his pockets. "What do we do, Vaughn?"

"What?"

"Funeral?"

"Syd..."

"Or...should we wait?"

"Sydney, she's not dead."

Sydney looks up at Vaughn. "I would like to believe that. But...with this group...I don't." Sydney stands up. "We've had our problems, Vaughn, But this...this is the last straw."

As she starts to walk past him, he stops her. "What are you saying?"

Sydney turns to him. "I'm not sure what to do anymore Vaughn. I've lost Isabelle...I've lost you...I've lost myself..."

"Syd..."

"I want a divorce."

Vaughn blinked. He should have seen it coming, but it still hit him hard, "What?"

"I can't do this anymore Vaughn...pretend that we're okay because you and I both know the truth."  
Vaughn nodded. "Isabelle was keeping us together, Strong."

Sydney nods and blinks back another flood of tears. Vaughn nods at her again. "I'll call our lawyer."

Sydney nods, and walks out.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eric walks into his house and sees Nadia sleeping. Careful not to disturb her, he quietly gets into bed.

"Everything ok?"

Eric gasps and sighs as Nadia turns over and smiles at him.

"You know how quickly I could get a heart attack," he joked.

Nadia frowned. "Have you talked to Sydney and Vaughn?"

Eric shook his head. "I don't think they're in a mood to actually talk, lately."

"I feel so bad. I feel like I should be doing something."

"There's nothing we can do," he assured her. He stares up at the ceiling and Nadia studies him.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing," he said.

"Eric..."

"It's just, I had this planned you know? And leave it to the bad guys to screw it all up."

"Have what planned?"

_Uh-oh._ "Oh, nothing."

"No...now you have to tell me."

Eric goes in his drawer and pulls out the ring. "Well, I had this all planned out."

He hands her the ring and her eyes widen. "Nadia...will you be my wife?"

"Eric..."

"I want to spend the rest of my, aging life, with you. The person who makes me laugh, who is so beautiful, who is my best friend makes me a better man each and everyday since the moment I had met you. Please, marry me."

"Oh..of course I will!"

"Really?"

"Yeah."

Eric smiles and puts the ring on her finger and kisses her. Nadia then suddenly frowns. "What is it?" he asked

"Do you feel guilty? That we're happy and they're not?"

"Well...would it make you more comfortable if we talked to them?"

-------------------------------------------------

Eric pulled up to a club in his car, and spotted Vaughn's car parked outside. Eric got out of his car and walked up to the entrance. Two security guards stop him. "What's your name?" one of them asks. He pulls out a clip board with people's name listed on it.

"Oh, I'm not on the list. I just have to get a friend."

"Then you can't enter," the second security guard said.

"Look, I have to get in. It's important."

"Sure it is."

"Just..."

"Look," the guard pulled back his jacket to reveal his knife clipped on his belt. "I suggest you go back to eating your Milky Way bars before you get hurt."

"Really? Okay..." Eric pulled out his gun and hit the first guard with the knife. The second guard raised his hands up, not wanting any trouble. Eric looked at the guard on the guard, holding his jaw. "I prefer German Chocolate...not Milky Ways. Just so you know."

Eric holstered his gun and entered the club. The minute he walked in, he was utterly surprised. It was a strip club, not just a bar._ What the hell is Vaughn doing here?_ In a minute or two, but he finall found Vaughn. He walked over to him and sat down.

"Vaughn?"

Vaughn looked at Eric, his eyes slightly red. "Hey."

Before Eric could say anything though, I stripper came over to Vaughn, attemting to dance for him. "Hey," Eric said. "I'm trying to have a conversation here."

"I'm just doing my job," she retorted.

Eric showed her his gun. "Leave now, before I do mine."

The woman gave Eric a sneer and left. "Why'd you do that?" Vaughn complained.

"Number one: You're drunk. Number two: You're married and number three: I just saved her life because if Sydney found out..."

"Sydney left me."

"What?"

"My marriage is over...and Sydney left," Vaughn grumbled.

"God...where did she go?"

"I have...not a...clue." Vaughn picked up his drink and finished it off, and called for another.

"Oh no," Eric said, "I'm cutting you off. Come on."

Eric grabbed Vaughn and left the club.

"Where are we going?" Vaughn asked.

Eric took him to his car and opened the door. "We're going to the airport and you're going to talk to Sydney."

"I already tried."

"Well, try again." Eric looked at Vaughn and his appearance and frowned. "First, we have to get you cleaned up."

Vaughn looked down at himself. "Why?"

Eric pulled out his cell phone and dialed, looking at Vaughn and his wrinkled up clothing. "Because, you smell like booze and look like hell. Nadia?" he said over the phone. "Yeah, I found Vaughn. I need your help."  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TBC

the best is still yet to come...reviews please?


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thank you for all the reviews! It't what keeps me going, so don't stop! ;)**

Sydney sat there, ignoring all the people surrounding her, the magazine sat on her lap, untouched. So many thoughts were running through Sydney's mind. _Was she doing the right thing? What was Vaughn feeling? If he came, what would she say? What would others say?_ Sydney sighed and looked up. The LA airport wasn't too packed, which Sydney liked. The less she's out in the public, the better for her to keep appearances down. "Attention all flight passengers. We are now boarding flight 47 from Los Angeles to Dallas Texas." Sydney looked at her plane ticket and packed up her small things, grabbed her suitcase and proceeded to the gate. "Sydney!" she heard someone shout. "Sydney!" Sydney stopped and turned around to see Vaughn running up to her, out of breath. "Vaughn?"

"Wa-wait," he said breathlessly.

"Vaughn...what are you doing here?"

"I needed to talk to you," he explained

"I have to go."

"Sydney, wait. I don't want you to go."

"Vaughn...don't do this."

"What?"

"This...trying to stop me. We knew this was coming."

"Leaving the state? No Sydney, I didn't. You have to give us a chance, to work things out, get to know each other again..."

"I can't..."

"Why not?" Vaughn demanded.

"Because it hurts too much!" she yelled. Vaughn looked stricken. "Because, Vaughn, we have tried to work things out for months...for years. We're not the same people anymore. And the death of Isabelle..." Sydney trailed off, forcing back tears.

"Sydney...we don't know for sure if she's dead."

Sydney looked at Vaughn in disbelief. "What kind of people do you think The Hand are? With our history, and our work, what we have seen...how can you not?"

"It's called faith."

"Oh, and what? I don't have that?"

"I'm sure anymore, Sydney."

"Vaughn...I am tired. I am tired of playing the perfect wife, the perfect daughter, the prefect mother, the perfect agent, the perfect everything! In playing all these parts, with all these expectations of what people believe and want me to be, I've lost myself."

"So you think running away will solve your problems?" Vaughn asked. "I've got news for you Sydney. It won't."

"Maybe not. But I can't stay here either."

"Why not? Because you have people who love you here too?"

"Because, it's too painful."

The woman's voice was heard on the PA again. "Final call for flight 47 to Dallas, Texas. Final call for boarding on flight 47."

"I have to go," Sydney started to gather her things again, but was stopped by Vaughn.

"If you think you're the only one going through this Sydney. Then you're not the woman I once knew and loved," he sneered.

Sydney looked at him with hurt eyes. "No, Vaughn. I know you are. But it feels like I am going through it alone, and that's what kills me the most. That a part of me misses you so much and want nothing more than to be in your arms. But the bigger part of me can't stand you anymore because I feel like I don't you."

Vaughn starts to tear up again, "Sydney...this can't be the end of us. It can't."

Sydney starts to cry as well and holds Vaughn's face, resting her head on his shoulder and whispers to him, "Remember what I told you in Korea years ago?"

"That we'll always find each other."

Sydney pulls away. "And we will Vaughn. We always do. But...somethings I guess, just don't last forever."

Vaughn shakes his head and Sydney kisses him softly on the lips.

_Song Playing: Pink; Who knew_

Sydney backs away from him and gathers her things.

_You took my hand  
You showed me how  
You promised me you'd be around  
_  
Vaughn watches as Sydney turns and leaves, and gets lost in the crowd.

_I took your words  
And I believed  
In everything  
You said to me_

Sydney approaches the gate and shows her ticket. She then walks towards the plane.

_If someone said three years from now  
You'd be long gone  
I'd stand up and punch them up  
Cause they're all wrong  
I know better  
Cause you said forever  
And ever  
Who knew_

Vaughn walks up to the huge glass window and watches as Sydney's plane, flight 47, takes off, leaving LA.

_I wish I could touch you again  
I wish I could still call you friend  
I'd give anything_  
_When someone said count your blessings now  
For they're long gone  
I guess I just didn't know how  
I was all wrong  
They knew better  
Still you said forever  
And ever  
Who knew_

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Marshall walks into Jack's office, where Jack and Sloane are quietly talking. Marshall clears his throat and the two men look at him.

"Yes, Marshall?" Jack says.

"I, uh...looked at the photo. Of, um..." Marshall cleared his throat, not knowing what exactly to say.

"What did you find?" Sloane asked.

"Well...the picture is real. It's not a fake," Marshall admitted.

Jack leaned back in his chair. "So...Isabelle is really dead?"

Marshall sighed and looked down at his feet. "Yes. I couldn't find any indication of the picture being faked, at all. And, I tried everything," Marshall finished.

Sloane looked at Jack who was only shaking his head in disbelief. "Unless," Marshall added. "That wasn't Isabelle in the picture."

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Sydney stood there, in the pouring rain. Standing in one of her favorite places. One of the many places her and Vaughn spent the most time in. She was standing on a small bridge overlooking the city under the water. It was the beautiful site she had ever seen before. She stared ahead at Vaughn, who was staring back. Sydney smiled at him painfully as he quickly walked over to her. "Sydney...you came back," he said.

Sydney nodded. "I couldn't do it, Vaughn. I couldn't sign the divorce papers. I couldn't leave you."

"Sydney," Vaughn smiles at her. "I saw you take off though..."

Sydney shakes her head. "It doesn't matter. I love you too much to leave. I want this to work out. I do."

Vaughn kisses Sydney, and she felt the whole world melt away. She knew what she had to do and this was it. When the kiss ended, they both pulled away and smiled at each other. "Mommy?" she heard. Sydney looked past Vaughn's shoulder in shock and puzzlement. She saw Isabelle standing behind Vaughn, holding her Mickey Mouse and smiling at them. "You didn't find me, did you Mommy?"

"What?" she blinked and walking towards her, slowly.

"You didn't find me," Isabelle said simply. Sydney looked at Vaughn, but Vaughn only looked back at her, with no emotion on his face. Sydney looked back at Isabelle and hugged her. "You're...alive." Sydney held her daughter and began to cry.

"Mommy?"

"What is it, sweetie?"

"Are you going to answer your phone?"

Sydney looked at her, confused. "What?"

"Your phone," Isabelle said, with no emotion either. "It's ringing. You should answer it."

Sydney pulled out her cell phone from her pocket and looked at it

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Sydney sat up quickly and sucked in air and looked at her surroundings. She finally relaxed and breathed normally when she realized where she was. Sydney brushed back her hair and heard her phone ringing in her bag. She reached in the bag and pulled out her phone just as it stopped ringing. She opened it and saw '1 missed call. Dad'. Sydney sighed and placed the phone back in her bag and looked around on the plane. It was just a dream. She had only had a dream. Sydney sighed deeply again and reached back in her bag, but this time, she took out papers. Papers titled, 'Final Notice of Divorce'. Sydney looked at the man sitting next to her. "Excuse me, do you have a pen?" The man nodded and handed her a pen. She smiled and took it and opened to the last page. She looked down at the arrow sticker pointing to where she was to sign. She pictured Vaughn in her mind and remembered their wedding. Then she put the pen to the paper, to sign.

TBC

What do you all think?


	7. Chapter 7

Vaughn stood at the bridge where he and Sydney had gone so many times before. He stood there at the railing, looking at the city lights beautifully shown after the sun had set. He twirled his wedding ring around in his hand and looked straight ahead. He couldn't believe how screwed up things had gotten this past weekend. Isabelle's death, Sydney's leaving him and the divorce? He wanted to leave this city too. He kept looking down at the highway which was anything but busy. Part of him was expecting Sydney to show up, to give them another chance. But with each passing hour, his hope was dashed.Vaughn stood there a little while longer, and when he finally decided to go home, a car pulled up in front of him. He looked at the car and his eyes lit up with that hope again. "Sydney?" A figure stepped out of the car and walked over to him. When Vaughn finally saw the figures face, his heart sank. Jack walked up to Vaughn and frowned. "Not who you were expecting?"

Vaughn shook his head. "How'd you find me, Jack?"

"Actually...I have some news for you."

"I don't want to hear anymore news." Vaughn began to walk away, but Jack stopped him.

"It involves your daughter."

"She's dead."

"We don't think she is."

Vaughn raised his eyebrow while Jack continued. "We think that The Hand played you. The girl in that photograph is not Isabelle at all."

"You think they killed another little girl to fake her death?"

"No," Jack said. "I think that little girl was already dead, and they used the body to fake Isabelle's death."

"Why would they do that?"

"I'm not entirely sure..." Jack admitted.

Vaughn shook his head. "It's just hope Jack. Hope that she's alive. There's no evidence of it."

"Since when have we relied on that when it concerns the people we love?" Jack snipped.

"It's too late Jack. So, unless there's anything else..." Vaughn started walking away.

"Where's Sydney?" Jack called after him

"She's gone."

With that, Jack watched Vaughn leave to be consumed by the darkness. Sydney's gone?

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Vaughn went back home and for about an hour paced the floor. The next hour, he cleaned up the house and then worked his way into the kitchen. He hadn't eaten anything for several hours, but at the same time wasn't hungry. He washed all the dishes and dried them and put them all away. Just as he was finishing, he heard the front door open and close, and a heavy bag drop on the floor. Vaughn looked in the dining room and saw his gun lying there. _Damn! _Just as he was about to go and greet the intruder, Sydney was standing in front of him, drenched from the late night rain shower. "Sydney..." he breathed. She gave him a half-hearted smile and walked over to him. "Sydney, I thought you left..."

"No...I, I thought it was the best thing for us, but then I realized..."

Vaughn studied her," What?"

Sydney looked at Vaughn in the eyes, through her tears. "I love you."

Vaughn's heart skipped a beat at Sydney's words. "I love you too, Syd."

"So...I don't know..."

"But, the divorce papers?" Vaughn interrupted.

"Oh." Sydney blushed. "I flushed them down the toilet."

Vaughn laughed. "You what?"

"I couldn't sign them, Vaughn."

Vaughn smiled. "Me either."

"So...where do we go from here?"

Vaughn shakes his head. "I'm not sure."

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_Song playing: Nickelback: Everyone Cared _

Sydney fell onto the bed, with Vaughn above her, kissing her, making love to her, It was something that Sydney had longed for for months. Something that they never gave into. Sydney felt guilty in some ways. Her daughter was dead, and her family and friends thought she went missing, and her she was, feeling alive for the first time not only in two years or three years, but in the past week. Vaughn's gentle kisses showed her his love and his strong arms his strength. Maybe it began as lust to them. But it didn't feel that way. Sydney missed Vaughn so much, that she felt she deserved to give into her sin. As Vaughn's fingers trailed along her skin, giving her a tingling sensation, Sydney realized that despite everything they had gone through since they met, all the roadblocks they had to overcome, they were still together and they found that connection that had faded away. Vaughn and Sydney weren't divorced, or breaking up. They weren't moving out. They were going to work through it together and give each other their love and strength.

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Vaughn opened his eyes as the bright and early sun light came into the room. He sat up and looked at Sydney lying next to him, sleeping for the first time in three or four days. They both had given into their sins and their desires. Maybe it was wrong of them with everything that had happened, but he didn't regret last night. Sydney had came back to him and they found their connection with each other again. Vaughn looked out the window as he heard a bus, or possibly truck, passing through. Vaughn put on his shorts and peered outside the window. A yellow, but dark tinted, school bus stopped directly in front of their house. "Sydney." Vaughn walked over to Sydney and shook her awake. "Sydney."

"What?" she mumbled.

"Look." Vaughn went back to the window and Sydney sat up to see what he was talking about. "Vaughn...why would you show this to me..."

But Sydney stopped. She quickly got up and looked at the school bus, which now was just sitting there. Then, the doors opened, as if to let someone enter or exit. Sydney and Vaughn exchanged looks and quickly grabbed clothes to put on and ran outside. Sydney reached the front door first and ran outside as Isabelle, carrying her lunch box and backpack, emerged from the bus. Sydney ran to her and hugged her tightly. "Oh my God, Isabelle."

"Mommy...you're squishing me."

Sydney let go of Isabelle and looked at her closely. "Are you okay?"

Isabelle nodded as Vaughn came up beside her and hugged her as well. "Oh, Isabelle, we've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too Daddy."

Vaughn put Isabelle down and Sydney hugged her again, crying tears of joy. Vaughn glanced over at the bus and looked through the open door. Behind the wheel of the bus, he saw Irina, who winked at him and closed the door. Vaughn stared at the bus as it drove off, in shock. He looked at Sydney once the bus was out of sight. _Should I tell her?_ Vaughn shook off his thoughts and picked up Isabelle, spinning her around. "Hey," he said. "What do you say, we go to Disney to see Mickey?"

Isabelle's eyes lit up. "Really? When?"

"Right now."

"Yay!" Vaughn put Isabelle down again and she ran inside the house to pack up her things. Vaughn smiled at Sydney as she laughed.

"She was alive Vaughn."

"Yeah."

"We did it." Sydney said.

"Yes...and I believe this vacation is well deserved for us, don't you?"

"Of course I do!"

Vaughn looked at Sydney seriously. "I love you."

"I love you." Sydney kissed Vaughn and he kissed her back just as Isabelle ran back out and grabbed their hands. "Come on," she said. "We're gonna be late." Sydney and Vaughn laughed as Isabelle dragged them into the house.

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I sat back in my chair and smiled. After just getting off the phone with Michael and Sydney, I was relieved. Despite everything that they had gone through, they found their way back to each other and got their back, alive. I began to write my final notes on the couple. They went through hard times with each other, then had their daughter kidnapped and presumed dead, then a divorce came up, then Sydney left, then they believed Isabelle wasn't really dead, then Sydney came back, then they finally found each other, then Isabelle returned, and now they are enjoying themselves in Disney. "Hey," I said out loud as an idea suddenly occurred to me. "This would be a great story!" _Hmm_, I thought. "'I twirled my pen in my hand and silently sighed...'"

The End


	8. Alternate Ending

**OK...here is the orinigal ending to this story, now you all might hate me for posting it after all...but, oh well. You don't have my address, so I think I'm safe for awhile ****  
Note, that with this ending, there is a sequel to the story...**

Vaughn stood at the bridge where he and Sydney had gone so many times before. He stood there at the railing, looking at the city lights beautifully shown after the sun had set. He twirled his wedding ring around in his hand and looked straight ahead. He couldn't believe how screwed up things had gotten this past weekend. Isabelle's death, Sydney's leaving him and the divorce? He wanted to leave this city too. He kept looking down at the highway which was anything but busy. Part of him was expecting Sydney to show up, to give them another chance. But with each passing hour, his hope was dashed.Vaughn stood there a little while longer, and when he finally decided to go home, a car pulled up in front of him. He looked at the car and his eyes lit up with that hope again. "Sydney?" A figure stepped out of the car and walked over to him. When Vaughn finally saw the figures face, his heart sank. Jack walked up to Vaughn and frowned. "Not who you were expecting?"

Vaughn shook his head. "How'd you find me, Jack?"

"Actually...I have some news for you."

"I don't want to hear anymore news." Vaughn began to walk away, but Jack stopped him.

"It involves your daughter."

"She's dead."

"We don't think she is."

Vaughn raised his eyebrow while Jack continued. "We think that The Hand played you. The girl in that photograph is not Isabelle at all."

"You think they killed another little girl to fake her death?"

"No," Jack said. "I think that little girl was already dead, and they used the body to fake Isabelle's death."

"Why would they do that?"

"I'm not entirely sure..." Jack admitted.

Vaughn shook his head. "It's just hope Jack. Hope that she's alive. There's no evidence of it."

"Since when have we relied on that when it concerns the people we love?" Jack snipped.

"It's too late Jack. So, unless there's anything else..." Vaughn started walking away.

"Where's Sydney?" Jack called after him

"She's gone."

With that, Jack watched Vaughn leave to be consumed by the darkness. _Sydney's gone? _

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Sydney stepped out of the front doors of the airport and looked around at her surroundings. It wasn't much different than LA, just a little cleaner. She saw a white taxi waiting for her across the street. The driver, sitting on the hood of the car, waved over to her. She smiled slightly and walked over to him. Wearing a cowboys football jersey and a white cowboy hat, chewing tobacco and looking like her hadn't shaved or showered for days, he took her bags and threw them in the trunk. Sydney grimaced and got in the back of the car. The driver got behind the wheel and started the engine, pulling out and onto the highway. "So," the driver began, "Where ya headin' to ma'am?"

Sydney looked at his eyes in the rear-view mirror and replied, "Dallas."

"In the city, or outside?"

"In," Sydney answered. She looked down at her wedding ring, and stared at it for a moment.

_"It took, a lot for us to get here today," Vaughn said. "But...the first time I saw Sydney, I was like, 'Who in the world is this weirdo?' But, as I began working with her, and getting to know her, I grew to love her, more than anyone ever would. I am so glad that I married her because that means every single day I get to wake up next to the most beautiful woman in the world." Vaughn turned to Sydney, "I love you, Syd." As Vaughn kisses Sydney, all the wedding guests begin to applaud them._

Sydney smiled softly at the memory and slowly took off her wedding ring and placed it in her bag. She then slipped on her sunglasses and looked around at her surroundings as they were entering Dallas.

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Irina entered a room, where Isabelle was sitting. At her entrance, Isabelle glanced up at her grandmother. "Hello, Isabelle," Irina greeted. Isabelle did not reply back. Irina looked at the woman standing behind Isabelle and addressed her. "Are we finished?"

The woman nodded and stepped forward in the light so Irina could see her face. "Yes. The doubling worked beautifully, but..."

"You're still unsure how this could help us?" The woman nodded. "Well, Nadia...it's very simple. Isabelle will help us find Rabamldi and brig forth his endgame, whether she wants too...or not."

Nadia nodded and smiled as another little girl entered the room...Isabelle. The real Isabelle stared at her double in surprise as the double grinned at her.

---THE END---


End file.
